Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level D , Case EO, Shelf 86, Box A

Fontaines & Jardins avec sujets d'Histoire, tires de la Fable, Inventés & gravés par J. le Pautre. En Six Planches

Print
late 17th century - early 18th century (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mythological scene in a garden with a fountain and pool. In the right foreground, standing in the pool, are two figures - Hermaphroditus and Salmacis. One appears to be spurning the advances of the other as Cupid intervenes. On either side of the pool are statues, representing river gods, with overturned urns and wearing crowns of reeds. In the background is a crescented walkway.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleFontaines & Jardins avec sujets d'Histoire, tires de la Fable, Inventés & gravés par J. le Pautre. En Six Planches (series title)
Materials and techniques
Etching on laid paper
Brief description
A mythological scene in a garden with a fountain, showing Hermaphroditus spurning the advances of Salmacis. One of six plates from the set 'Fontaines et Jardins avec Sujets d'histoire tirés de la fable'. Etching by Jean le Pautre, published late 17th-early 18th century.
Physical description
Mythological scene in a garden with a fountain and pool. In the right foreground, standing in the pool, are two figures - Hermaphroditus and Salmacis. One appears to be spurning the advances of the other as Cupid intervenes. On either side of the pool are statues, representing river gods, with overturned urns and wearing crowns of reeds. In the background is a crescented walkway.
Dimensions
  • Cut to height: 18.3cm
  • Cut to width: 26.5cm
Measured by SH 03/07/2010
Styles
Copy number
Pl. 5
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Salmacis ayant essaye en vain de fleschira son amour Hermaphrodite fils de mercure et de venus, accourt a luy lors qu'il entre dans la fontaine pour si baigner et l'embrasse suppliant les dieux qu'ils ne fussent q'un corps ce qui fut accordé metam. l.4. le Paultre In.et sculp I. Mariette ex. cum Privil. re.' (Lettered)
  • '5' (Numbered)
Object history
In the reissued volume this set was entitled 'Fontaines et Jardins avec Sujets d'histoire tirés de la fable, inventés et gravés par J. le Pautre, en six planches' (Guilmard, p.74:95; Berlin, p.49:95). Although it is not clear whether they were actually published at the same time, numbers 29483:28-33 represent the complete set.
Production
The works of Jean le Pautre were reissued by Charles-Antoine Jombert under the title Oeuvres d’architecture, 3 vols (Paris,1751). These volumes contain a list of the reissued sets, and each are numbered. The majority of the title plates in each set are printed with the name of Jombert and the publication date of 1751; however, the other plates, like those in the original issues, are lettered with the names of the publishers Jean or Pierre Mariette. It is unclear whether this plate was published by Jean Mariette or reissued by Jombert.
Subjects depicted
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Guilmard, Desiré. Les Maitres Ornemanistes.: Écoles Françaises, Italienne, Allemande et des Pays-Bas. Paris: E. Plon, 1880, p.74: 95.
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. Katalog der Ornamentstich-Sammlung der Staatlichen Kunstbibliothek Berlin. Berlin and Leipzig, 1939. p.49: 95.
Collection
Accession number
29483:31

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest